There would be more than 4 games in a 5 nations tournament. Its like you thought there was only one team which mattered.

I'd agree it has, but not by as much as some people think.
The 3 Tests v Australia in 1990
At Wembley - 54,569
At Old Trafford - 46,615
At Elland Road - 32,500
Total - 133,684

In the 2011 4 Nations the 3 major England games
At Wembley - 42,344
At the KC v New Zealand - 23,447
At Elland Road - 34,174
Total - 99,965

Considering the lack of international success, one game was v NZ and plenty of other factors I don't think that's too bad a comparison.

Back in 1990, the RL didn't offer discounts or ticket deals as they do currently. I guess if you had the same offers back then, then I am sure the crowds would of been more at Wembley. Old Trafford and Elland Road were a sell out.

Also, the Aussies used to have massive travelling support (think Hull KR

, who came on orgainsed tours and were very much part of the atmosphere. Likewise when Britain toured down under ala the magic night in Melbourne. Magic moments like that, we are never likely to see again, and to me the game is much more poorer for it.

It wouldn't add to the fixture calendar though-you can just say that players who play internationally miss that week's round of SL. Having to play without internationals is a major feature of the union season, and I don't see why we couldn't do it. It creates good opportunities for sides lower down SL to carve out some results, and for fringe & youth players in the big sides to stake a claim for a first team spot.

Who, for instances, steps up when Wigan are without Tomkins, Charnley, Richards, McIlorum, Hock & O'Loughlin? Or Wire are without Atkins, Bridge, Briers, Myler, Carvell, Westwood, McCarthy and Harrison?

Partly due to replacing the Ashes with tri/4 nations imo. Does anyone really care about the 4nations? Other reason is the game in the UK isn't producing the star talent we had in the early 90's and we have had a further 20+years of losing to the Kangaroos. There is only so much hope a fanbase can have!

Call me nostalgic but I'd go back to Ashes series, 3 match tournaments v Kiwis, 5 nations every 4 years and a WC every 4 years. Proper tours (without the club games) that go for 6-7 weeks either GB touring Sth Hemi or AUs/Kiwis touring Nthn Hemi. Have European cup for the lesser nations and mid east cup and a Sth Hemi cup and make them regular and meaningful. Make eligibility make sense and don't force star players from other countries to nominate for Oz just to play SOO.

Fixed!

Why are we not producing talent like we did in the 90s? Easy. Too many imports. It's like the Premiership, you can either have the elite competition where everyone wants to play, and for that the International game suffers (look at England). You cannot have both. But saying that, SL are not attracting the big 'names' from down under to play, like when the seasons were split down under and in England. Gone are the days when you saw proper 'Testmen' like Gary Jack, Bob Lindner, Andrew Ettingshausen, Wally Lewis, Brett Kenny, Peter Sterling etc wanting to play in England. I have said for years, that the English game is either a retirement home for average or 'past it' overseas players, and that throttles the development for the youngsters in our game.
Having coached for many years at both amateur and rep rugby, the talent is there to be seen and have proved it within their pro clubs, yet are shown the door at pro clubs in favor for a 33 year old Aussie who was very average in the NRL.

I think the format of the regular SL season is intimately tied up with the formatting of the international game.

SL needs to have a sensible, and fair, number of rounds (for instance, Warrington, Huddersfield & Catalans get an additional 2pt gimme by having their magic weekends against Widnes, Salford & London, as against Leeds, Wigan & Saints, who play Bradford and each other).

Plus, the Challenge Cup needs to involve all teams and be a straight knockout competition. With all of Super League, Championship, Championship 1 & Elite One Championship you have 44 teams. That would leave 20 spots to open qualification from all teams at all levels who wished to enter, with a subsequent pure knockout over 6 rounds to the final at Wembley.

6 CC Weekends, 26 SL weekends leads to a 32 week (call it 8 month) season, starting the last weekend in February and finishing in October. 5 Nations to be played in June/July, and Autumn internationals to be played in November.

Any stats on number of imports? I seem to remember most clubs having 5+ imports in the 90's

I think it was no more than three in the 1990s.

Why would Sean O'Loughlin play for Ireland when he can play for England?

A minor point, but i would like to point out that Eamon O'carrol plays for Widnes.